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U TE Elf STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARCUS R. STEPHENSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO EDWINI-IOLMAN.

DOOR-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 9,126, dated July 18, 1852.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARCUS R. STEPHEN- soN, of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Locks for Doors; and I do hereby declare that the. sameare fully described and represented 1n the following speciiication andaccompanying drawings, letters, figures, and references thereof.

Of the said drawings Figure 1 denotes a view of the rear part or face ofthe lock. Fig. 2 is a view of the same as it appears with its back plateremoved. Fig. 3 is a view of the same as it appears with both back andcover plates removed. Fig. 4 is a vertical and transverse section takenthrough the center of the cover plate and the tumblers. Fig. 5 is anunderside view of the cover plate. Fig. 6 is a side view of it. Fig. 7is a top view of the bit plate slide, the tumblers and part of the bolt.Fig. 8 is a side view et the bit plate and Fig. 9 is top view of it.

In the construction of my improved lock, I have not only sought to makeone in which the tumblers cannot be reached by a picklock, or by theusual means used by such persons, or by burglars to pick a lock, but toproduce one which in the ordinary acceptation of the term would bepowder proozt,r or protected from the introduction into it of gunpowderor any other explosive material for the purpose of blowing it up orinjuring it.

A distinctive feature of my lock and which is peculiar to some others inuse is what is termed a rotating cover plate attached to the shank ofthe knob or contrivance which throws the bolt. This cover plate restsover a stationary block or bed. In the above mentioned drawings the saidcover plate is represented at A. It consists of a circular plateattached to a shank or arbor B, supported and made to rotate in bearingsa, b, applied to or made in the sides c, (Z, of the lock case C. Thesaid arbor projects entirely through the back plate c, and has either akey hole e, made in it for the recept-ion of a turning key D (see Fig.10, which is a side view of said key) or it may have a common knobapplied to it, so as to enable a person to turn it by the simpleapplication and proper movement of his hand.

The bolt of the lock is seen at E. It is arranged, constructed and madeto operate :in connection with a series of slide plates or tumblers F,in the usual manner. remark, however, that in my improved lock the boltis thrown or moved back and forth by a projection f, extended from thearbor of the cover plate A, while the tumblers are elevated by means ofa bit plate G, which `is particularly represented in Figs. 8 and 9. Thisbit plate is inserted or placed in a suitable recess g, made in what Iterm the bit vplate slide H. This slide I-I, is raised and depressed ormade to slide up and down by means of a projection or bit h, extendedlfrom the arbor of the cover plate A, and `made to operate in connectionwith either one of the two sides z', 7c, of a. recess Z, made throughthe slide H, as seen in Fig. 7 On turning the arbor so as to move theprojection lz, against the side z', the slide H may be moved up ortoward the tumblers, and so as to carry the bit plate (when placedwithin it) against the projections or tails Z, Z, &c., of the severaltumblers. A movement of the projection h, in the opposite direction, oragainst the side Z0, produces a reversed or downward motion of the slideH. It may be remarked that the lengths of the several projections Z, Zof the tumblers are so regulated to their respective bits m, m, &c., ofthe bit plate as to cause all the horizontal openings or passages (oneof which is seen at a in Fig. 7) to be brought into correct positions toenable the stud 0 of the main bolt,7 or bolt, to pass through them whilethe bolt is being thrown either backward or forward. The slide plate H,is kept in place and made to slide under and in a circular stationaryring or block I, which is secured fast to the case of the lock, thecover plate A, being made to traverse directly on the said ring or blockI, and to be covered by the back or removable plate a of the case.

Through the cover plate A, there is an elongated or rectangular shapedpassage o-r orifice p, made of a size just sufficient to allow the bitplate to be passed endwise through it, and either inserted in orextracted from the recess g, as circumstances may require, the saidoriice p being so arranged that by turning around the cover plate asufficient distance the said orifice may be brought directly in range ofthe recess g, as well as in range of another and similar opening orpassage Q, made through the back plate c of the lock case.

I would Between the recess of the slide lplate H, and the projections Z,Z, &c., of the tumblers there is an arc lip r, which is made to eX- tenddown fro-m the cover plate A, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. It occupiesabout ninetyfive degrees of a circle, although it is by no means to beconfined to such length, as it may be made much shorter. The object ofit is to prevent any access to the tumblers or their projections Z, Z,&c., while the orifice 72 Y is in range with the recess g and the bitplate is not in t-he said recess. The rotary movement of the cover plateshould carry the lip r, out of the way of the slide H, before the saidslide is moved in order to carry the bit plate against the tumblers.This lip has another object, which is to prevent the introduction ofgunpowder or any explosive material through the recess g, and into thebody of the lock, which it does in consequence of its being made to moveor stand close against the open end of the recess g.

In the operation of locking or throwing forward the bolt the bit plateis inserted in its slide H. The cover plate is neXt rotated by means ofits key, and the bolt is not moved until after the opening p has passedentirely by or out of range wit-h the bit plate or recess thereof noruntil the arc lip has been moved from before the projection s of' theslide H. Such projection carrying the bit plate and being made to movein and out of a corresponding recess t, made in the stationary ring orblock I. Y

Fig. 11 represents an underside view of the back plate c, and the coverplate A, as applied to it. There is a spring latch or dog u, attached tothe plate c and made to turn at one end on a pin fu. Its other end has atriangular projection w, which rests against the periphery of the coverplate, and when the orifice p vcomes in range with the bit plate recessof the slide I-I, and the passage g, this triangular projection enters anotch w, (made in the periphery of the cover plate,) and thereby holdsthe cover plate in position, or still, so as to enable a person toeither insert the bit plate in the recess g, or remove it therefrom, asoccasion may require.

There are locks which have a revolving block in which a separaterbitplate is inserted and carried around against the tumblers vwith and bysuch block. Such a lock is that patented by John Oxnard the tenth day ofApril, A. D. 1845. There are other locks which have a revolving coverplate fixed upon the arbor of the knob that carries the key orcontrivance which throws the main bolt, the bit plate by which'thetumblers are elevated being put in place, or on its recess, and made toact against the tumblers 4before the cover plate is moved or turned, so

as to cover the key hole or recess for the reception of t-he bit plate,such action of the bit plate being produced by a power separa-te fromthat which turns the cover plate and knob. Of this last classis the lockpatented on the first day of August, A. D. 1848, by Villiam Hall. In myimproved lock, which is a lock having a cover plate', such is not thecase, it being so constructed that the tumblers shall not be moved bythe bit plate until after the bit plate and its recess, or bit plateentrance, have been entirely covered over by the cover plate, or closedby it, from access, it also being so constructed that the parts by whichthe bit plate'is put in operation are so made that such bit plate andthe slide which holds it shall be moved (so as to make it more againstthe tumblers) by a stud, key or an equivalent contrivance applied to thearbor ofthe cover plate.

I therefore claiml. The combination of the cover plate, and its arborwith the slide for carrying the bit fplate, and a contrivance applied tothe said arbor, and made to actuate the said slide and bit plate, allconstructed and made to operate together substantially as herein beforedescribed. Y

2. And I also claim, the improvement termed the circular arc lip, in itscombination with the cover plate and the tumblers and the key which doesnot revolve with the cover `plate and made to project down between thebit plate recess and the tumblers, when the bit plate hole or entranceof the cover plate Vuncovers the bit plate recess either in whole or inpart; all substantially as hereinbefore explained.

'In testimony whereof I have hereto set my signature this twenty-sixthday of August, A. D. 1851.

MARCUS R. STEPHENSON.

Witnesses:

CALEB EDDY, OLIVER EDWARDS.

